The Last Dragonslayer: The Chronicles of Kazam, Book 1 (Last Dragonslayer, #1)

by Jasper Fforde

In the good old days, magic was indispensable--it could both save a kingdom and clear a clogged drain. But now magic is fading: drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets are used for pizza delivery. Fifteen-year-old foundling Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians--but it's hard to stay in business when magic is drying up. And then the visions start, predicting the death of the world's last dragon at the hands of an unnamed Dragonslayer. If the visions are true, everything will change for Kazam--and for Jennifer. Because something is coming. Something known as . . . Big Magic.

• ISBN10: 0547738471
• ISBN13: 9780547738475
• Publish Date: 2 October 2012 (first published 11 April 2010)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Houghton Mifflin
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 296
• Language: English

Reviews

[nannah]

I've heard many good things about Jasper Fforde, so I finally picked this up from the library.

Jennifer Strange is an indentured servant living in an alternate version of the United Kingdom - the Ununited Kingdom, that is, where she manages what's left of the country's sorcerers. Their magic greatly diminished, they now use their powers to unclog drains, fix electric wiring, etc. However, that all changes when everyone gets word that the last dragon, and possibly the source of all magic, is foreseen to be killed - by Jennifer Strange.

The voice is quirky and fun for a while, but only a while. The charm quickly wears off and gets annoying quickly, undermining the book's serious moments. The book begins to have a single emotional tone: ------- Not funny (as was promised), not quite boring, not exciting, but not quite uninteresting. There's also so much time spent on explaining things that any immediacy of plot is lost in the types of wizards and levels of sorcery and the history of the Ununited Kingdom.

It's awesome that the subject of the prophecy is a girl, and the girl without magic who's surrounded by magic, but beyond that I wasn't too impressed.

There were too many characters introduced that I really don't have time to form an opinion about them when they do something relatively important to the story. Names are thrown about as if they mean something to me, and I'm wondering if this is somehow a sequel series maybe?

Aaaaand this:
"'Frightful, frightful woman. Her love of glittery things, fine robes, and bathing in rabbit's milk set feminism back for centuries.'"
(????)

I'm really not sure what made this book so funny to everyone, but it just didn't work for me.

[violetpeanut]

What is not to like about magic, dragons, Quarkbeasts, swords named "Exhorbitus" and characters with names like Full Price, Moobin and Jennifer Strange?

Absolutely nothing. This was one of the most humorous books I've read in a long time. It's clever and witty and laugh out loud funny. It has a plot that makes sense but is fantastical. It has characters that you both love and hate. It has a Quarkbeast! It has comedy and tragedy. All this set in a fantastical version of our world where magic is commonplace, though it is waning.

Where once magicians were able to do huge feats of greatness with their power, now they are relegated to unclogging drains, getting cats out of trees and fixing home electrical problems. The plot focuses on Jennifer Strange, a teenaged girl who runs Kazam Mystical Arts Management, the company that employs these sorcerers. One day there is a vision of The Last Dragonslayer killing the last dragon. From there, things change for Jennifer and the plot really gets going to it's final twist.

Along the way, the characters and setting are described in what to me seems to be a cross between [a:Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg] and [a:Douglas Adams|4|Douglas Adams|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1189120061p2/4.jpg]. I know... those are very big shoes to fill but the details and descriptions here are what really make the book. For example,

The Sisters Karamazov could also claim once-royal patronage, and they were as nice as apricot pie. Mad as a knapsack of onions, but pleasant nonetheless.

or

"Welcome to Kazam," I said, stuffing the envelope into my bag, "where unimaginable horrors share the day with moments of confusing perplexity and utter randomness. To call it a madhouse would insult even the maddest of madhouses."

or

"That's the Quarkbeast," I told him. "He may look like an open knife drawer on legs and just one step away from tearing you to shreds, but he's actually a sweetie and rarely, if ever, eats cats."

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and laughed a lot. I loved Jennifer Strange and look forward to reading more about her in the future. I will make it a point to search out the next book in the series. Highly recommended for fans of humor, fantasy or the above mentioned authors, Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. This is a definite 5 stars for me.

[elvinagb]

This book was wonderful, really 'big magic'.